Kerf-cutting mining machine



Oct. 9, 1951 E. H. STI-:1N

KERF-CUTTING MINING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 27, 1946 N www /NVE/TOQ; A EDWARD H'rim, Y

HTTY

Oct. 9, 1951 E, H, sTElN 2,570,400

KERF-CUTTING MINING MACHINE Filed NOV. 27, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Aa MM,

Oct. 9, 1951 E. H. STEIN KERF-CUTTING MINING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 27, 1946 /NVE/YTOR EDWARD H. SfrElN,

HTT'Y Patented Oct. 9, 1951 FFICE KERF-CUTTING MINING MACHINE Edward H. Stein, Columbus, Ohio, assigner to The J eil-rey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application November 27, 1946, Serial No. 712,673

v 2 Claims.

My invention relates machines and more particularly to a mining machine wherein a kerf-cutter is mounted upon a support for rotational movement.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved kerf-cutting mining machine wherein a supporting vehicle carries a kerf-cutter head mechanism and reversible hydraulic motor means therefor in cantilever through a turnover neck mechanism having a hydraulic pump associated therewith connected to supply hydraulic iluid to the hydraulic motor means through conduits Which are formed at least in part by co-operating supporting rotary connecting members of the turnover neck mechanism and which Vmay include valve lmeans for reversing therdirection of operation of the hydraulic motor means. Y

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved kerf-cutting mining machine wherein a kerf-cutter head mechanism having hydraulic motor means associated therewith is supported in cantilever .through a turnover neck mechanism from a 'support wherein a hydraulic pump carried by the support is connected to the hydraulic motor means through conduits formed at least in part by co-*operating supporting rotary connecting members of the turnover neck mechanism. l

It is another object of my invention to provide anV improved turnover kerfg-'cutter head supporting mechanism wherein a ,korf-cutter headcarrying member is connected andsupported from a support member solely through a male and a female member that co-operate Vto provide rotary motion of the kerf-cutter head supporting member about the axis of the male member and to form connecting hydraulic conduits that remain in constant communication irrespective of the rotary position or motion of thev co-operating male and female members and which extend through at least one of, the tines of the yoke to adjacent the outer end thereof through which hydraulic fluid may be conducted for operating the kerf-cutter head.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved Keri-cutter head mechanism in which an endless kerf-cutter chain is driven by rotary hydraulic motor means carried by the cutter head.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved kerf-cutter head mechanism having a frame that carries rotary hydraulic motor means and a cutter bar and chain assembly and wherein the rotary hydraulic motor means is connected to drive the korf-cutter chain.

to kerf-cutting mining It is still another object of my invention to provide an improved kerf-cutter driving head mechanism having a frame carrying a reduction gear mechanism adapted to drive an endless kerf-cutter chain and supporting a pair of rotary hydraulic motors both of which drive the same gear of the speed reduction gear mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side View in elevation of a mining machine that includes my invention with parts omitted for thesake of clarity;

Fig, 2 is a plan view of the forward portion of the mining machine shown in Fig. 1 with a portion of the cutter head housing broken away and a sump cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a View of the bottom of the cutter head and cutter head supporting neck of the mining machine shown in Fig'. l with parts omitted for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 4 is a view in section of the cutter head mechanism, the View being taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational sectional view taken through the cutter head supporting neck mechanism and a pump housing of the mining machine, the view being taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevational view through the cutter head supporting neck mechanism of the mining machine with parts of a housing structure broken away to show the cutter head turnover gearing, the section being taken on line 'I 'l of Fig. 5;

Fig, 8 is a View in section through the cutter head supporting neck mechanism and the cutter head leveling cylinder of the mining machine, the View being taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is'a view similar to Fig. 3, but on a larger scale and showing hydraulic pipes in the turnover neck mechanism that lead to the hydraulic motors of the cutter head;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic control system of the mining machine; and

Fig. 1l is a diagrammatic sectional elevational View of a reversing valve embodied in the hydraulic control system.

Referring specifically to Figs. land 2 of the drawings, there is shown a korf-cutting mining machine including a vehicle or truck It having a forward axle i l and a rear axle l 2 to which there are keyed -flanged track engaging wheels I3 adapted to ride on track rails I4. Truck Iii includes a rear machinery containing housing Iii which houses an electric motor, hydraulic pumps, valves, and other mechanisms, some of which are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. l0, and most of which mechanisms function to swing and position a kerf-cutter bar assembly I6 of a kerf-cutter head I1. The truck I8 and the machinery contained in the compartment I is identical to that disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,263,799 to Robert K. Jeffrey and Lewis E. Mitchell, entitled Mining Machine. While I prefer this track mounted type of truck or vehicle, the said truck may be mounted in any other desired manner such, for example, as upon endless treads to operate in a trackless mine room, as illustrated in U. S. Patent 2,357,724 to J. S. Beltz.

Mounted upon the truck ii) for swinging movement in a horizontal plane or about a central upright axis is a turntable I8. Turntable I8 is rotated about its central upright axis by a pair of piston motors I9 (seen in Fig. 2) that are always operated together and in reverse directions so that a very powerful and equalizing force will be transmitted to turntable I8 to swing it. riurntable I8 includes a pair of upwardly extending brackets 28 between which is mounted a motor housing or casing 2I that forms the rear end of an elongated generally horizontal supplemental frame or support supported by the truck I8 within which casing 2l there is an electric motor having an armature shaft 22 (see Fig. 6) the pinion 23 of which drives a gear 24 on the shaft of a hydraulic pump 25 mounted within a casing, housing or sump 26 secured by bolts 21 tothe forward end of the motor housing 2l and carried in cantilever by the latter. To each side of the motor housing 2| and housing 2S is a supporting arm 28 connected at one end to the housing 23 by bolts 29 and the opposite end of each of which forms a bearing portion 38 positioned to the outside of one of the upright supporting brackets 28 of turntable I8. Pivot shafts 3I extend through the bearing portion 38 of arms 28, brackets 20 and into bearing sockets formed in the sides of the motor housing or support 2| for mounting the housings 2| and 28 to the turntable I8 for pivotal movement above the horizontal axis of the aligned pivot. shafts 3l. Between each of the arms 28 and the motor housing 2l is a double acting piston type hydraulic motor 32 mounted by trunnions 33 that t in bearing sockets formed in the arms 28 and the motor housing 2l and these hydraulic motors 32 function to raise and lower the housings or supplemental frames 2| and 26 pivotally about the horizontal axis of the pivot shafts 3I.

Extending from the forward end of the casing, housing or sump 28 and supported in cantilever thereby is a turnover neck mechanism indicated generally at 34 which pivotally supports the hydraulically powered cutter head mechanism I1 at its outer end. Said sump 28 and neck mechanism 34 form parts of the above mentioned supplemental frame. The turnover neck mechanism 34 is rotated about its longitudinal axis by a reversible rotary hydraulic moto-r 35. Hydraulic motors I9, 32 and 35 are operated by a hydraulic pump 392 and other mechanism in the machine compartment I5. Cutter head I1 is carried between a pair of forwardly extending tines or arms 36 of turnover neck mechanism 34 (forming part of the supplemental frame) for pivotal movement with respect thereto about a swingable axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the supplemental frame 26 and the cutter bar assembly I3 of the cutter head I1 may be rotated about an axis extending through the cutter head I1 and at right angles to said transverse axis by a reversible rotary type hydraulic motor 31.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the. cutter head mechanism I1 and its associated kerf-cutter bar assembly I3 are mounted in cantilever on the front or forward end of an elongated generally horizontal frame made up of parts 2l, 28, 34, etc., the rear end of which is supported by the main frame I8 through turntable I8 and that the kerf-cutter bar assembly I6 is mounted through the turnover neck and its associated members for universal movement, that is, movement about a plurality of right angle axes, namely, the vertical axis through the turntable I8, the horizontal axis of pivot shafts 3|, the longitudinal axis of the turnover neck mechanism 34, an axis extending crosswise of the tines or arms 33, and the kerf-cutter -bar assembly I5 is itself pivotal aboutan axis extending through the cutter head mechanism I1. Thus the cutter bar assembly is mounted for universal movement with respect to the supporting vehicle or truck I3 for cutting a kerf in substantially any plane.'

Referring now to Fig. 5, which is a view in section of a portion of the turnover neck mechanism 34 and the casing, housing or sump 28, the turnover neck mechanism 34 includes means to provide conduits from pumps 25 and 392 to hydraulic motors on head I1 which provide for continuous unrestricted rotation of said head on the longitudinal axis of said supplemental frame. Said turnover head mechanism includes a stub shaft or projecting male member 38 which is formed as a part ofthe casting 39 that forms the bottom of the casing, housing or sump v28 `within which the hydraulic pump 25 is contained. The stub shaft 38 adjacent the forward wall or end of the casting 39 is provided with a circular flange 44 and a rear bearing surface 4I. The body of the shaft 38 extends forwardly from adjacent the bearing surface 4I and is provided at its forward end with a bearing surface 42. Between bearing surfaces 4I and 42 and on the outer surface of shaft 38 there is a plurality of circular peripheral grooves 43 between which the shaft body is provided with suitable oil sealing rings, such as O-rings, in grooves 44. Stub shaft 38 is bored or has formed integral therewith a plurality of conduits 45 (see Figs. 6, '1, 9 and 10) which extend longitudinally therein andV through the forward wall of the casting 39. Each of the conduits 45 at its outer end is connected to a separate one of the circular grooves 43 through a radial conduit or bore 4B. The purpose of these conduits will be fully described hereinafter.

Telescoped over the stub shaft or protruding male member 38 is a tubular cr female neck member or frame 41 the rear end of which contains a bushing adapted to bear upon the bearing surface 4I and the frontend of ywhich contains a bushing adapted to bear on the bearing surface 42. Bore 48 of the female neck member 41 forms a close t with the lands of the grocved portion of the stub shaft 33 and oil sealing rings 44 bear upon the bore 48 to prevent loss of hydraulic fluid from grooves 43. Each groove 43 communicates with a radially extending conduit infernale member 41 (see Figs, 8 and l0). Each groove 43 is closed by an adjacent surface portion of the interior of female member 41. The rear endkof: the female neck member 41 is flanged at 49 to carry a split worm gear 59. Gear 50 overlaps and engages the circular a'n'ge ,49 prevent ing endwise movement of the cri-operating rotary male and female members 38 and '41. vPreferably the outermost vend of the stub shaft 38 has secured thereto a cap 5l also for the purposel of preventing endwise increment ofthe co-operating members 98 and 91. Male member 33 'and female member 41 thereforer cooperate to provide support of the latter, and in turn the kerf cutting mechanism, from the former, and also cooperate to provide continuous conduits leading to hydraulic motors 31, 51 and 61 while providing for continuous unrestricted rotation of the head Il along the axis of said stub Shaft 38- and Vfemale member 41.

As seen in Fig. 7', split worm gear 59 is secured to flange 49 of female neck member 41 by a series of bolts 92' and it is driven by an engaging driving worm 53 driven by rotary hydraulic motor 3*'5` through suitable reduction gearing contained within gear housing 99. It will be seen that when rotary hydraulic motor 35 is driven in either direction the split worm gear 69 will be rotated and it will rotate the female neck member 41 upon the stub shaft 38 about the axis of the latter. Preferably the split worm gear 56 is covered by a split housing 55 which is clamped to a flange 56 at the forward end of the casting 39 of casing, housing or sump 26.

The female neck member 41 of turnover neck mechanism 34 is forked to form a yoke at its forward end to which forwardly extending tines or arms 36 are rigidly secured, by bolts or the like, and between which is mounted the hydraulically powered cutter head l1. Hydraulically powered cutter head l1 has associated with it four hydraulic motors, one -of which is a piston type motor 51 mounted to a surface formed on the female neck member 41. Piston rod 59 of motor 51 is connected through a connecting link 69 to an arm 6l formed integral with the frame or housing 62 of cutter head l1 and this motor functions to rotate the cutter head l1 and its associated korf-cutter bar I6 about the transverse axis of mounting pins 63 (see Figs. 1 and 9) which are carried in aligned openings formed adjacent the outermost end of each of the tines or arms 36. Each pin 63 is formed as a sidewardly projecting part of one of a pair of upstanding lugs f 64 that are integral parts of the housingr or casing 62.

Referring now to the novel construction of the cutter head mechanism, the cutter head mechanism l1 includes av frame or housing 62 which,

as seen in Fig. 4, is formed of an upper casting 65 which has a pairV of housings V66 formed integral with it for enclosing reversible rotary hydraulic motors 61. Each motor 61 includes a downwardly extending main shaft 68 that operates in upper and lower bearings 69 and 69 and carries a pinion 19. Frame or housing 62 includes a bottom or lower casting 1l which co-operates with the upper casting 65 to form a gear casing which houses the pinions 18 of hydraulic motors 61y and a central main shaft 12 carried in bearings 13 and 13 in the upper and lower castings. Shaft 12 extends through the bottom casting 1l and through a labyrinth type lubricant seal formed by a plate 14' attached to the bottom casting. A sprocket carried upon the end of shaft 12 is adapted to drive an endless korf-cutter chain 16 carried by the frame of cutter bar I6, links of which are indicated only in Fig. 2. Housing 62 above central main shaft 12 is closed by a suitable dust eapliz.

Central main-shaft 12 carries -a relatively large that directly connects the hydraulic motors 61 to the sprocket 15 for driving the korf-cutter chain 16. Y

Lower casting 1l includes a boss 1-8 which carries a cutter bar supporting ring l19 through; a bushing 88'. Cutter bar assembly i6 is secured to afoot or lug 8l of this ring member by `stud bolts 82. supporting'ring member 19 vis' circumferentially notched at its outer periphery 83 to ,receive a ring gear 84 secured theretov for rotating' the supporting ring member 19 by a plurality 4of bolts 85 which extend through aligned openings in ring member 19, ring gear 84 and are threaded into a ring 86 to' form an assembly thereof which engages a circumferential supporting shoulder 81 formed by the bottom casting 1|. A-lange 88 including a sealing ring 89 closely fits the outer' peripheral edge of the cutter bar supporting ring Amember 19 and is bolted to the upper casting 65 of the frame or housing 62. The chief function lof flange 88 and sealing ring 89 is to protect the ring gear 84.

Frame or housing 6-2 of cutter head l1 includes a projected portion 99 (see Fig. 2) which contains a worm 9| driven through reduction gear mechanism 92 from reversible hydraulic motor 31. It will be seen that when hydraulic motor 31 is operated in either direction, worm 9i will rotate the cutter bar supporting ring member 19 through ring' gear 84 about the axis of shaft 12.

The general plan of utilizing a reversible rotary hydraulic motor carried directly by the cutter head I1 for swinging the cutter bar I6 as Vdcscribed, is theY invention of Arthur L.'Lee and is described in his application, Serial No. 22,268, filed April 21, 1948, for a Kerf-Cutting Mining Machine.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10 wherein the hydraulic conduits leading to motors 31 and 61 are shown, the hydraulic motors 61, which are reversible, form the sole final power means for directly driving the kerf-cutter chain 16 and they are provided with inlet and outlet ports connected in parallel by pipes or conduits 93 and 94. Conduits`93 and 94 are reversibly connected, as more fully described hereinafter, to the pump 25 and sump 26 so that when fluid is supplied by pump 25 to one of the pipes, both of the motors 61 will rotate in the same direction and the other pipe will convey fluid exhausted from the motors to 'sump 26. Connected to pipe 93 is a flexible conduit 95 (see Fig. 9) which in turn is connected to aconduit 9B formed in one of the pins 63. Conduit 96 leads to inner circumferential groove 91 Vin the pin 63 which in turny connects with a conduit 98 that extends longitudinally through an arm or tine 36 of the turnover neck 34 and ifs connected to a conduit 99 formed in an arm |00 of theyoke of female member 41. Conduit 99 communicates with one of the circumferential grooves 43 formed in the projecting stub shaft 38 and, as previously described, each of the grooves 43 is connectedthrough a radial conduit 46 (see Fig. 8) to a longitudinal conduit in the stub shaft 38. Preferably a suitable The upper surface of the cutterr bar' sealing ring or gasket (see Fig. V9) is proivided at the junction of the arms or tines 30 and arm |00 to prevent loss of hydraulic fluid where the conduits 98 and 99 join. Pipe -94 isk connected to the conduit 96 inthe 'other pin 63 through a flexible conduit, and conduits corresponding to those described are provided in the other arms 36 and |00 for connecting the conduit 96 to another of the grooves 43 and to kone of the conduits 45. As clearly shownin Figs. 6 and l0, the two conduits 45 which are individual to the pipes 93 and 94, respectively, are coupled directly to the output ports and |I0, respectively, of reversing valve hereinafter described in detail. As suggested in Fig. 5, other conduits 45 are connected to valve 448 (see Figs. 6 and l0) by flexible conduits, including conduits 362 andA 363, and appropriate fittings. It will be seen that the pipes 93 and 94 are in constant communication with their respective conduits `45 in the stub shaft or protruding male'member 38 irrespective of the rotary position or rotation of the female member 41. It will also be seen that the co-operating rotatable male and female members of the turnover neck mechanism 34 form a supporting means for supporting the hydraulically powered cutter head mechanism I1 and its associated cutter head I0 in cantilever and that the male and female membersco-operate to form conduits through which hydraulic fluid is fed to and exhausted from the hydraulic motors 61 even when the female member 41 is continuously rotated by motor 35. Y

y Rotary hydraulic motor 31 is connected by conduits |02 and |03 (see Fig. 9) with a pair of conduits 45 through the turnover neck mechanism that are similar to those conduits described that connect conduit 93 with one conduit 45 and thus hydraulic fluid for motor 31 as well as motors 61 is conducted through the turnover neck mechanism 34. The conduits for motor 31 include the outer grooves in pins 53 (see Figs. 9 and l0), and lead ultimately to conduits 362, 363 through conduits 45 individual` thereto. Motor 31 therefore is energized from .pump 392, as hereinafter described. Individual conduits 45 for cutter bar tilting piston motor 51 also extend through said neck mechanism.

Sump housing 26 contains a supply of hydraulic fluid that is pumped by pump 25 for operating the hydraulic motors 61 that drive the kerf-cutter chain 16 of kerf-cutter head l1. Pump 25 is contained within sump 26 and its outlet or discharge port is connected through a pipe |04 to the inlet port of a reversing Valve |05, the actuating shaft |06 of which extends through a suitable stufling box |01 (see Fig. 6) in the wall of the sump casting 39 to a suitable motion changing device |98 which is actuated by a rod |09 connected to a manually controlled member, not shown, positioned adjacent the rear of the motor casing 2|, The reversing valve |05 is indicated diagrammatically in cross section in Fig. 11 and it includes a motor port ||0 and motor port each connected to one of the conduits 45 in the turnover neck mechanism 34 that lead to pipes 93v and 94. Reversing valve |05 also includes two discharge ports ||2 and ||3 through which fluid being returned from the motors 61 or by-passing them, as the case may be, is exhausted to sump 26.

In operation, with the piston or core ||5 of valve |05 in the position shown in Fig. 11, hydraulic uid owing from pump 25 enters inlet port of valve |05 from pipe |04 and flows through ||5 to both of the ports ||0 and grooves, notches or slots ||4 in piston or core Because fluid then flows to both pipes 93 and 94 the motors 61 will not be operated and the fluid will be caused to flow in ports ||0 and through grooves, notches or slots ||6 inV core ||5 to exhaust ports ||2 and ||3 and to sump 26. However, when the core ||5 is moved to the left, as seen in Fig. 11, a land ||1 of the core is moved to stop the ilow of fluid from inlet port |04 to discharge port ||0 and a land ||8 of core ||5 is moved to stop the flow of fluid to outlet port ||2. With the core ||5 in this position, hydraulic iiuid entering port |04 flows to port and to the hydraulic motors 61 through pipe 94. Hydraulic fluid exhausted from motors 61 through pipe 93 flows to port ||0 and through exhaust port H3 to sump 26. Of course, when the core I|5 is shifted to the right, the ow of fluid through the Valve is reversed with a consequent reversal of operation of the motors 61.

Preferably the inlet or fluid supply conduit for the pump 25 includes a lter l 9 and a screen |20 both of which are contained within the sump 20 in which a supply of fluid for operating the motors |51 is stored to such level as to cover the intake screen |20 at all times.

rlhe hydraulic motors 31 and 51 are operated by a hydraulic pump 392 carried in the machinery compartment I5 of the truck l0. The conduits for these motors, like those for the kerfcutter motors 61, lead through the turnover neck mechanism and are suitably connected with said pump by conduits which connect to individual conduits 45 at the backend of the projecting stub shaft 38 and through the forward wall of the sump casting 39. These conduits are connected, as hereinafter described, by other conduits through a four-unit control valve 448 and other mechanism to pump 392, as disclosed in Patent 2,263,799. The conduits between said valve 448 and the conduits 45 leading to motor 31 are simply exible conduits having fittings on opposite ends extending therebetween. The close proximity of valve 448 to said conduits 45 is seen by reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings. The interconnecting conduits may be similar in structure to conduit |04 seen in said Fig. 6. The conduits are designated 362 and 363 in Fig, 10 of the drawings.

Attention is now directed particularly to Fig. l0 of the drawings Which illustrates diagrammatically the hydraulic control system for operating the mining machine. Said hydraulic system includes a supply tank 380 for hydraulic fluid, preferably oil, fromrwhich there extends a feed pipe 38|. Feed pipe 38| leads to a control valve 383 that functions to insure that pipe 38| will be under suction at all times and that a pipe 399 will be under pressure at all times regardless of the direction of rotation of pumpv Pressure pipe 399 leads to an adjustable volume control and pressure relief value unit 400 that acts to control the volume and pressure of fluid delivered to the hydraulic system by pump 392. The pressure pipe 409 leads from unit 400 to a two-unit control valve 443 which includes a core for directing hydraulic fluid to operate the turntable motors |9 and a core for directing hydraulic fluid to operate a hydraulic motor 444 which effects slow speed or sumping travel'of the truck I0. A pressure conduit 441 connects two-unit control valve 443 to the inlet port of four-unit control valve 448 that is manually operated to control the operation of 4vl-iydraulic motors 32, 35,31 and all, and an exhaust or drain cond-uitY 349 for returned fluid exhausted by said motors connects the fourunit control valve 443 with tank 38d. 32 for pivoting the supplemental frame ZI- about the axis of pivot shafts 3l are connected to'four-unit control Valve 4de .by @enduits 5.9! and and turnover yneck motor 35 is connected to said valve ist by conduits 5:33 and 59.4.

Parts of the turnover neck .mechanism 3.4 are shown in Fig. 10 in a diagrammatic manner and in the present embodiment .of my invention turnover neck 3.4 forms six conduits which lead throughand are formed by the .co-operating kerf-.cutter supporting .male and female members 38 and 'l .of the turnover neck mechanism. Motor El which pivots the. cutter head l? and its associated cutter bar assembly it about mounting pins. .63 .a double acting piston motor and it is .supplied with fluid through conduits .il-ii .which are connected to pipes 36d and 365 that ,lead from the fourrunit .control valve dat. yThe rotary hydraulic motor 31 .which swings .the cutter `har assembly .l5 With respect to the cutter .head .ll is connected .throughconduits l5 which are in .turn connected Vto pipessiand 3.53 that .lead from the four- Vunit .control .valve 5138.

The ports of hydraulic motors ..57 are connected by .the pipes .95 .and .s4 which are in turn .connected to relatively large conduits l5 that extend through the turnover .neck mechanism and ports lit .and lli of reversing valve ills. Hydraulic fluid .under .pressure from pump 25 .may be directed `.at will, by reversing valve lit-5, to either `of the pipes or 9d to operate the motors Si for ,driving the kerfcutter .chain in either direction.

That .portion .of :the .hydraulic 4mechanism shown to the left of line .52.6 is videntical to .the equivalent portion of the hydraulic .mechanism and system shown and described in the Jeffrey et al. Patent, 2,253,799, above referred to. The portion of the apparatus shown to the left of line 25 is contained Within the machine compartment r5.5 O1' Carried directly vby @einer l@ ..vhile all of the mechanism of the hydraulic system to the vrightof the line i125 .is supported by the truck l through the motor casing, supplementary frame or support'Zi-d of the .turnover neck mechanismtd Acarried by vthe turntable E8. The Aportioncf .the hydraulic system `.to vthe left `of .line .5.26 .has vbeen described in complete detail .inthe .Jeffrey .et al. patent and therefore this-.portionpf the system requires no fur-ther explanation-here.. It is vthat portion of the system shown -to the right of line ,'ftZfGthat is novelwith me. Y

in operation, for transporting the mining machine through a mine the wheels i3 of the truck are driven through a relatively high speed gear mechanism by an electric motor that drives pump 362, neither of which is shown. During the transportation operation the operator of the machine will ride upon a seat at the rear of the truck l where he will have ready control of said driving motor and of the hydraulic motors i9 by which he may swing the turntable i8, if necessary, as the mining machine proceeds around sharp corners.

After the mining machine has reached a mine face or position where it is desired to cut a kerf the operator will control the machine from a position adjacent the left side thereof at the Motors f The electric motor in casing 2l has for its solev purpose the driving of hydraulic pump i25 which in turn operates the Bieri-Cutter chain driving motor tl. All of the various adjustments to the mining machine are effected by power derived from the electric motor that drives pump 39.2.

The mining machine is highly versatile in cutting kerfs in any plane by operating the various Al'iydra'ulic motors hereinbefore described. The mining machine may be operated to start a horiaontal kerf, for example, by rotating the turntable it to position .the axis of the'turnover neck mechanism '3d at aright angle with the longitudinal axis of the truck I 0 and the cutter bar assembly I6 may be positioned so that its longi- Ytudinal axis is 'parallei to the line 'of travel of intothe mine face any. distance up to the-cutter y head frame or housing 62,' at which time the operator disconnects the hydraulic sumping drive mechanism, and then to cut the kerf vthe operator peratesthe hydraulic motors i9 and 31 to swing the cutter bar assembly i6. When the cuthas been completed the machine is backed 'away from th'mine face to withdraw the kerf-cutter bar Ifrom the kerf.

rIhe 'cutter bar may rotate continuously in either directionabout the axis of cutterv head shaft T2 and it may be caused to cut a `kerf,'f'or example, by placing the cutter head housing 62 adjacent the mine face, with the cutter bar lli `parallel `to the face and then, through the operaltion'of motor 377, beiswun'g into the' mine face to cut a semi-circular kerf. Y V

lIt is vto be understood that the .kerf-cutting operations set forth above are but two examples ofthe many kerf-cutting operations that maybe accomplished by the machine. "'.Bth the kerf-.cutter .bar .assembly vand the .turnover neck .mechanism .34 `maybe rotated in either direction about their respective axes through any number of successive revolutions. Turnover neck mechanism A3d is operated by hyvdraulic motor 35 which functions to cause the female neck member il to be rotated upon the `projectingshaft 38. Conduits u45 in shaft v33 are each connected to an individual one of the circumferential grooves 43 andkthere .is aconduilt formed by the female neck member l1 for each of conduits i5 in shaft 33. Each of the conduits formed by the female neck member il is always in communication with the circumferential groove i3 of its respective conduit d5. Because the conduits d5 are always in communication with their respective conduits in the female neck member 41, the hydraulic motors Which are connected to the conduits of the female neck member 41 may be operated in any position of the turnover neck mechanism 3d and while the turnover neck is operated through successive revolutions.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a kerf-cutting mining machine Wherein a hydraulically powered kerfcutter head is mounted for universal movement in cantilever from a support through a turnover neck mechanism. It will also be seen that the supporting turnover neckmechanism forms portions of the hydraulic piping system for conveying hydraulic fluid to and from the `hydraulic motors which form a part of and which co-operate with the cutter head for operating it, and that because these portions ofA the hydraulic system are integral parts of the supporting turnover neck mechanism they will be protected from damage.

With specific reference to the kerf-cutter head mechanism it will' be seen that I have provided a kerf-cutter head wherein a kerf-cutting chain is driven directly from hydraulic motors carried by the kerf -cutter head frame and that the hydraulic motors are directly connected to drive the kerfcutter chain through speed reduction or torque increasing gearing contained within the frame or housing of the kerf-cutter headand` with reference to the speed reducing or torque increasing gearing it will be seen that I have provided an improved connecting gearing for a kerf-cutter head wherein the driving pinions of 'two motors each mesh with a single large gear to drive it.

While I have described the mining machine as i including a wheel supporting vehicle, it is to be understood that, in the broader aspects, the support for the cutter head and turnover neck mechanism need not necessarily be a vehicle, but that it may be any suitable structure, wheeled or otherwise, which may be conveyed within a mine.

Whenever, in any claim, reference is made to driving the kerf-cutter or to driving the cutter chain, or the equivalent, it is to be understood as restricting said claim to the actual causing of the cutter chain "a6 to travel about the cutter bar I1, by rotating sprocket l5, or the equivalent operation and is to be understood as distinguishing from any pivotal swinging of the cutter bar l1 about the axis of shaft '12, or about the axis of turntable i8, or any other swinging or feeding movement thereof which may be involved in a kerf-cutting operation.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended and I wish therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A mining machine including a main frame, an elongated generally horizontal supplemental frame pivotally mounted on said main frame and having a motor housing at its rear end and a head at its forward end, said supplemental frame forming a cantilever with the motor housing above and attached to said main frame and the head extending therebeyond, said supplemental frame also including hydraulic conduit forming turnover neck mechanism mounting said head for rotary adjustment upon the axis of said elongated supplemental frame, an electric driving motor in said motor housing at the rear end of said supplemental frame, a pump adjacent and driven by said motor carried by the rear end of said supplemental frame, a kerf cutter mounted on the head at the forward end of said supplemental frame, rotary hydraulic motor means connected to drive said kerf cutter and also mounted on said head, and hydraulic iuid conduits including the conduits formed by said turnover neck interconnecting said hydraulic pump at the rear end of said supplemental frame and the rotary hydraulic motor means at the forward end thereof, said turnover neck conduit mechanism including relatively rotary parts providing continuous conduits while providing for continuous unrestricted rotation of said head relative to the rear end of said supplemental frame on the longitudinal axis thereof.

2. A mining machine including a main frame, an elongated generally horizontal supplemental frame pivotally mounted on said main frame and having a motor housing at its rear end and a head at its forward end, said supplemental frame forming a cantilever with the motor housing above and attached to said main frame and the head extending therebeyond, an electric driving motor in said motor housing atthe rear end of said supplemental frame, a pump adjacent and driven by said motor carried by the rear end of said supplemental frame, a kerf cutter mounted on the head at the forward end of said supplemental frame, rotary hydraulic motor means connected to drive said kerf cutter and also mounted on said head, and hydraulic fluid conduits interconnecting said hydraulic pump at the rear end of said supplemental frame and the rotary hydraulic motor means at the forward end thereof.

EDWARD H. STEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,575,531 Brackett Mar. 2, 1926 1,617,941 Crawford Feb. 15, 1927 1,863,865 Maxon June 21, 1932 1,891,670 Ernst Dec. 20, 1932 2,007,907 Osgood July 9, 1935 2,182,127 Joy Dec. 5, 1939 2,263,779 Jeffrey et al Nov. 25, 1941 2,323,493 Sloane July 6, 1943 

